The Unexpected Advantages of a Fun Fair
by some kind of harmony
Summary: A little girl carrying a teddy bear twice her size tugs on Sherlock's trouser hem, and John thinks it's just about the funniest thing he's ever seen.


[**Disclaimer:** The Sherlock characters belong to Moffat and Gatiss, the BBC, Arthur Conan Doyle.

**A/N: **Written for Sherlock Shindig on Tumblr.]

**The Unexpected Advantages of a Fun Fair**

A little girl carrying a teddy bear twice her size tugs on Sherlock's trouser hem, and John thinks it's just about the funniest thing he's ever seen. Sherlock doesn't look down at the girl, but he at least he stops walking forward.

John thinks Sherlock can stand to talk to the girl, react like a normal human being instead of a brilliant, bitter one, for a change. It's not as though they're at the fun fair for a case or anything. Sherlock had been whining about being bored again, in fact had been about five seconds from planting fresh bullets in their wallpaper, so John had demanded Sherlock get out of the flat for a change. He had hauled Sherlock to a fun fair and endured quite a bit more whining in the process.

The girl tugs again, harder this time, and Sherlock finally looks down.

"Yes," he says, in a way that's not actually a question.

"You're the man from that website," the girl explains. "My mummy reads that website!" Her eyes are wide and waiting, and they only widen further when Sherlock crouches down to her level.

Sherlock stares at the girl too closely in that way he does whenever he's about to deduce, and John wonders if his companion is about to get them into trouble. It wouldn't be the first time, after all.

Finally Sherlock sighs. He's bored again. "Oh. John's blog."

John looks down at Sherlock, confused. John assumed the girl meant her mum read _The Science of Deduction. _It isn't infeasible. People clearly read the site—Sherlock was always responding to cases people submit there. Besides, how can Sherlock know for sure which blog the girl's mum reads?

Sherlock, bloody genius that he is, sees all of this in John's expression. He must, because he just snorts and goes, "Of course she reads your blog, John. She's a stay-at-home mother, she knows nothing about actual crimes or scientific research, so naturally she enjoys your romanticized drivel over my actual knowledge." Sherlock glances at the girl again. "Oh, worse yet I'm afraid. Your mummy reads both sites, doesn't she? Yes, Mummy's got a bit of an obsession." Sherlock grabs the girl's hand and stares at her palm.

The girl watches Sherlock back, expression blank. Still, John watches helplessly and wonders how many seconds left until someone threatens to arrest Sherlock for scaring a poor little girl. Or maybe they'll just file a law suit. Restraining order?

At least the girl seems amused, for now. Sherlock traces with his free hand over her palm, just above the surface, not actually touching the skin. The girl smiles back, undaunted. She probably has no idea what Sherlock is saying. What he's clearly about to say.

(John has no _idea_ what Sherlock's about to say, but he knows the man well enough to know that whatever it is won't be pleasant.)

"Yes!" Sherlock begins. "Mummy was supposed to bring you here today, you've been looking forward to this day for weeks now, but Mummy decided to stay home and re-read the blog. Mummy never leaves the house anymore, does she? Forgets to tuck you in at night." The girl finally seems to realize what Sherlock is saying. The girl frowns, sticks her thumb in her mouth, and clutches the teddy bear tighter. Her features relax, though, when Sherlock squeezes her hand in a comforting way. It's actually pretty adorable.

Sherlock glances back up at John. John wonders if he managed to hide his smile in time. He must have, because Sherlock's face is all concentration. No room for mockery there.

"She's one of _those_ fans, John. In fact," Sherlock takes what can only be described as a _dramatic pause_. "She's been planning to come see us. Thing is, the only way she knows how to see us— well, _me_, specifically—is at the scene of the crime. An interesting crime, at that." He squeezes the girl's hand again. "Your mummy is a serial killer in the making!" The girl's eyes grow wider than they've ever been. Sherlock must be right if the girl knows what serial killers are. Her mother must have taught her.

Sherlock kisses the little girl on the cheek. "Oh, this is entirely new. Brilliant!"

They are definitely, definitely going to get arrested.

* * *

Thanks for reading! I value all feedback (the positive, the negative, and the confused!) so I'd love to hear what you thought. : )


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